Rats in Villages

[oldkatz]

New to the Villages. Found rat in my garage was able to chase it out. However within the first week here my Honda Odyssey had the knock sensor wires chewed up and cost me 300 to replace. Any advice on how to get rid of these rats. My insect and fertilizer person says they dont deal with rodents Is there animal control here? Has anyone else head this problem?

[Happy Snowbird]

What village are you in?

[Finfan]

I have been in Villages for years and there has always been rats from Lake Sumter Landing to Colony Plaza I have seen them running around.

[Golfingnut]

I have two fords, they don't mess with American built.

[Cisco Kid]

New to the Villages. Found rat in my garage was able to chase it out. However within the first week here my Honda Odyssey had the knock sensor wires chewed up and cost me 300 to replace. Any advice on how to get rid of these rats. My insect and fertilizer person says they dont deal with rodents Is there animal control here? Has anyone else head this problem?

Side note.
Did you know you can claim that loss on your auto policy under comp.

[graciegirl]

Palm or citrus rats. Not baby biting rats. They come with palm trees. Also best not to feed birds.


Best Mom and Taj44 saw them at the Ashland Pool several years ago and there was a huge discussion but apparently search doesn't go back that far anymore.


Here is one more recent..


https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/rats-alligators-14999/

[mulligan]

It is important to note, however, that they are not the Norwegian rats most are used to seeing "up north". They are citrus rats. They nest in palm trees, eat the dates that grow there, along with dropped bird seed, and like to chew on plastic insulated wires. They don't carry the diseases normally associated with rats, and I compare them to chipmunks without the fancy wardrobe.

[Cisco Kid]

Who let them damn robber rats in ?

[graciegirl]

It is important to note, however, that they are not the Norwegian rats most are used to seeing "up north". They are citrus rats. They nest in palm trees, eat the dates that grow there, along with dropped bird seed, and like to chew on plastic insulated wires. They don't carry the diseases normally associated with rats, and I compare them to chipmunks without the fancy wardrobe.



I am jumping over your post Cisco, because this is valid information and will keep fear from building. I hope.

[Billyworld]

This is what happens when you outlaw outside cats. I had 28 acres and one outside cat and never had a rat.

[buggyone]

We always could send a team to The Everglades and bring back some pythons to take care of the Villages rats.

[TVMayor]

This is what happens when you outlaw outside cats. I had 28 acres and one outside cat and never had a rat.

Don’t need cats, got gators and some really big birds.

[Barefoot]

New to the Villages. Found rat in my garage was able to chase it out. However within the first week here my Honda Odyssey had the knock sensor wires chewed up and cost me 300 to replace. Any advice on how to get rid of these rats.

Mothballs.

[rayschic]

New to the Villages. Found rat in my garage was able to chase it out. However within the first week here my Honda Odyssey had the knock sensor wires chewed up and cost me 300 to replace. Any advice on how to get rid of these rats. My insect and fertilizer person says they dont deal with rodents Is there animal control here? Has anyone else head this problem?

I saw a rat in my courtyard villa about two months ago. I have Deans as my pest control. They put down two small boxes filled with a green powder. The rat will supposedly crawl into the box and eat the powder and will eventually die. Supposedly safe to other animals since the hole is small and birds can't get into it. The day after Dean's put down the boxes, I saw a stray cat with the mouse in his mouth. First time that I saw a stray cat in my yard and last time that I saw a mouse.

[tommy steam]

Also don't put up any bird feeders as they will draw these pesky critters.

[marianne237]

Since they like to chew on wires, maybe they might have contributed to the complaints over the holidays about chewed wires on outside light displays. Our wires were chewed by rabbits (we saw them at work), but all the neighbors do have palms and bird feeders and possibly these unadorned chipmunks?

[njbchbum]

This is what happens when you outlaw outside cats. I had 28 acres and one outside cat and never had a rat.

The villages has more than enough feral cats out and about all areas...so I think it happens because we have palm trees here.

[jhrc4]

Yeaaaaaaaaaaah, " You Dirty Rat " ....Jimmy Cagney would take care of him in a heart beat

[OldManTime]

If you are in the town of Lady Lake, in the Villages, call animal control.
I use moth balls under my car hood, keeps squirrels away, they are rats too.

[TVMayor]

Mothballs.“mothballs” that’s miss directed anger, get the rat balls.

[rubicon]

If you leave your vehicle parked outside every day you are leaving an open invitation

[TrudyM]

The only problem with moth balls is when you run the air it pulls the smell into the cab sometimes. We were told to pour hot sauce on the wires. But then we gave up and went and got the rat poision from home Depot. Took the cheap plastic containers with the lids that you can buy. Attached it upside down on a chunk of 2x 4 by putting a screw through the lid into the wood, after cutting a small hole in the side of the container. Placed the tray of bait inside. We slide it under the car when we are parked you just have to remember to slide it out and put up by the house when you drive the car or someone (probably your spouse) will run it over.

Hard lesson after replacing the wire harness on our Honda.

[gomoho]

We use to put mothballs under and around our motorhome when we parked for long periods in the desert to deter the desert rats from eating the wiring, nesting and pooping in our motorhome. Worked well there because it was dry and they didn't dissolve that quickly. Some folks in the desert would leave their hoods up at night so light would shine in which also deters them. Once again the rain we get would create a problem.

Careful with the poison - used it once in North Carolina and "that dirty rat" made it into the walls somehow to die - whew what a stink!!!

[Kimandhim19981@gmail.com]

Been here 10 years, we feed the squirrels, rabbits birds etc have palm and fruit trees, never ever seen a rat or evidence of one!

[TNLAKEPANDA]

We have a Rat Terrier... want me to send her over? She is very well trained.

[Bonanza]

Citrus rats, if that is exactly what they are, are more than just vegetarians. As an example, they will also eat dog food. I can't help believe that the trash and/or dumpsters around the square add to their variety of food. I also question the 'rules' set up for our trash removal. Many people don't use their garbage disposer and food goes in with the regular trash. If these rats aren't already ripping through trash bags, I think it's just a matter of time until they do.

[Parker]

Most people don't use their garbage disposal? I find that hard to believe.

[cabo35]

No problem for us. Our snakes keep the rat population in check.

[DDoug]

This may sound cruel to some people here on how to get rid of rodents. This is what we did on the farm and it does work. Take some corn meal and mix it with plaster, yes the plaster they use on your walls put it outside and set it next to a dish of beer( any brand). When mice or rats eat the plaster laced corn meal they get thirsty. If the plaster doesnt get them when it hardens the beer will as rodents cant belch.This works you just have to pick up the rat and depose of them. Sounds funny but try it.

[oldkatz]

duval

[buggyone]

I have lived in The Villages for a bit over 4 years. We put our trash bags by the curb twice a week in the late evening for next morning pickup. We have never had a trash bag torn open by a bird or animal - or stolen. Maybe we just have respectful birds and animals in Glenbrook that have learned The Villages way of life.

[Bonanza]

Most people don't use their garbage disposal? I find that hard to believe.

I didn't say that "most" people don't use their garbage disposer, I used the word, "many." Yes, many people do not use their disposer and some use it only some of the time. Believe it! I know of a few such people which leads me to believe they aren't the only ones guilty of this non-use.

[oldkatz]

I had no idea that my insurance would cover this but I appreciate this information. I also found out that sumter county does not have this type of animal control and that they give you a list of trappers. I really do not want repeated repair costs. Honda dealer says honda's have problems with rodents getting in and chewing wires. Next car wont be a Honda

[oldkatz]

I have no idea what type of rat it was but I guess I will call a trapper. I have no bird feeder nor palm trees on my property but on the other side of my villa wall there are palm trees. Thanks for your kindness in getting back to me. I am having adjustments and challenges going from city gal to country gal

[gatherer47]

After three weeks living in my garage I finally saw a rat going under my washing machine.We called Massey for help but nothing they tried worked.When we took the washing machine outside and turned it over,we saw his tail and got him.Yes,he was a rat.In those three weeks he ate the turn signal wires in my golfcart,the cord on a portable sweeper,the the wires to my sprinkler system,and the wiring in the washing machine.It was the most frustrating three weeks of my life.The different poisons and traps Massey tried were all ignored by the rat.My advice-NEVER leave your garage door open for extended periods.He even chewed his own tail off when he wandered into a glue trap which happened in the first week.I realized something was amiss originally when I noticed things on the floor that had been on shelves.

[jbdlfan]

Been here 10 years, we feed the squirrels, rabbits birds etc have palm and fruit trees, never ever seen a rat or evidence of one!

Wow, I'm surprised you have never seen any. We see them all the time on the cart paths. Little boogers shoot across the path fairly quickly!

[travelguy]

have been living here since dec '08 and have never seen a rat or anything of the sort. we have no squirrels in our neighborhood, negligible populations of rabbits, and if there are field mice i sure have not seen them or any evidence of them. from what i remember about rats, they are dependent on human garbage, and if there is no source of food refuse and the sort then you will not have them. that is why they congregate near restaurants and other sources of food.

[red tail]

have been living here since dec '08 and have never seen a rat or anything of the sort. we have no squirrels in our neighborhood, negligible populations of rabbits, and if there are field mice i sure have not seen them or any evidence of them. from what i remember about rats, they are dependent on human garbage, and if there is no source of food refuse and the sort then you will not have them. that is why they congregate near restaurants and other sources of food.

SSWEC120/UW120: Control of Roof Rats in Fruit Trees (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw120)

[mulligan]

have been living here since dec '08 and have never seen a rat or anything of the sort. we have no squirrels in our neighborhood, negligible populations of rabbits, and if there are field mice i sure have not seen them or any evidence of them. from what i remember about rats, they are dependent on human garbage, and if there is no source of food refuse and the sort then you will not have them. that is why they congregate near restaurants and other sources of food.

You're thinking about the wrong kind of rats. These are citrus rats, and they nest in palm trees.

[TVMayor]

SSWEC120/UW120: Control of Roof Rats in Fruit Trees (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw120)
13 years in FL and I have never seen a rat till last early evening, which surprises me because of the lack of fruit trees in a courtyard villa neighborhood. That rat ran down the sidewalk then climbed a stucco wall at the same speed and eases as running down the sidewalk and went in my neighbor’s courtyard. The war is on, ever morning I will have a banana on my cereal and he can have the peal. He will then become crow food after I see how long he can hold his breath under water.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XFD0SLYHL._SX355_.jpg

[oldkatz]

After three weeks living in my garage I finally saw a rat going under my washing machine.We called Massey for help but nothing they tried worked.When we took the washing machine outside and turned it over,we saw his tail and got him.Yes,he was a rat.In those three weeks he ate the turn signal wires in my golfcart,the cord on a portable sweeper,the the wires to my sprinkler system,and the wiring in the washing machine.It was the most frustrating three weeks of my life.The different poisons and traps Massey tried were all ignored by the rat.My advice-NEVER leave your garage door open for extended periods.He even chewed his own tail off when he wandered into a glue trap which happened in the first week.I realized something was amiss originally when I noticed things on the floor that had been on shelves.

I am glad I am not the only one with this problem I did find out that citrus rats carried the bubonic plague when they first arrived in America. They do carry disease but are not apt to bite people unless provoked. Trappers are needed.